I wanted to let everyone know my experience with these new windows. This review should be especially helpful for those interested in laminated windows for sound reduction. I chose the Gorell 5100's mainly on price. I had considered Simontons with laminated glass but they were about 25% more costly. Others I considers were Jeld wen (high price and poor availability), milgard (could not find laminated glass option).

As far as sound reduction, going form 20 year old double pane windows to these has resulted in about a 50% sound reduction based off my non scientific judgement. I live about 140ft from a semi busy paved road. Cars that were clearly audible before are now only barely audible. Trucks and buses are reduced as well. Although you can hear those through the walls themselves so there is only so much you can do. Birds, rustling trees and wind noise are almost all blocked. The house seems much more peaceful now.

As for the windows themselves I was very disappointed in the initial quality. On the 6 windows installed, 2 had torn screens, 2 had cracks in the laminated glass from the factory, and one had a broken lock. They also had heavy amounts of vinyl debris all over them stuck in the tracks and some plugging the drain holes. One even had a missing piece of weatherstrip on one window. The excess screen mesh was also not trimmed in all the windows. Not exactly top notch quality control. Gorell is supposedly taking care of the torn screens and cracked panes. I can only hope once the windows settle in and cracking glass is not a long term problem.

The installer did a wonderful job and is working with me on these issues. One final note. 2 of the windows only came with one lock even though they were a full 36 inches in height. We were never warned that they would only come with one lock. Whereas most other companies install 2 locks even if the window is in the 30 inch range, be aware you have to ask for everything as extras with Gorell. The people at the Gorell customer service department were not concerned with this issue and basically told me its not their problem at this point.

On a positive not the windows are very good looking and built very solidly plenty of weather stripping all the way around. I may have just caught the assemblers on a bad day. I am still happy with the windows because I got a great price on them and they are quiet. But If I had to do it again I would have picked the Simontons if I could have negotiated a similar bargain.

I have had no such issues as a Gorell dealer. I find your experience to be extremely out of the ordinary, and I'd say that some of your concerns sound like poor communication from your dealer, who is "playing it off" as a manufacturer issue. I just have to say that to date (less than one year) of dealing Gorell's product direct, (1000 + units), I have not experienced a single unit delivered with cracked glass, nor any any of the other issues which you've described. If you surveyed all dealers and clients of Gorell, I'd say that quality control and customer service would be the LAST things that would register as complaints, as they are phenomenal in these areas.

Like I said I am still satisfied with the windows. I was just posting as a reminder to myself and to those shopping, to ask questions until you are satisfied! Get it all down on paper, and don't assume anything. These windows, besides the initial quality problems are very good windows!

The cracks are most likley because of the lamination glass and the fact that makes them quite heavy.

You are absolutely correct on asking lots of questions. That is the best way to insure that your project meets expectations.... Your issues sound to me like careless handling somewhere between the factory and your home, due to the fact that you had torn screens and cracked glass... Gorell actually has tracking systems in place so that any quality problems can be traced back directly to the person responsible and handled accordingly. The missing weatherstrip and any sloppy trimming, etc should be able to be traced back.

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